The invention relates to a method for producing an electronic component with a plurality of chips that are stacked one above the other and contact-connected to one another, which component can be mounted on a component carrier and can be contact-connected on the component carrier via a plurality of contact elements provided on the component.
Known methods for producing a component with a plurality of chips that are stacked one above the other into the third dimension can roughly be divided into two groups. One group is the stacking of housed chips, and the other group is the stacking of bare chips. When stacking housed chips, the latter are stacked one above the other and connected to one another by their contact elements, which may be small legs. Examples thereof are stacked TSOP or stacked BOC. These three-dimensional designs are distinguished by so-called interposers, which are thin or thick boards or leadframes, for connection between the stack planes. These interposers are mounted onto the chips and connected to the chip-side contact elements by suitable methods. This method is expensive on account of its mounting outlay, since it is based on a single-die process flow, for example, exclusively separate individual housed chips are processed. On account of the interposers that are necessary in part, the resulting components are of considerable structural height. It is not possible to thin down the chips during the stacking process on account of the housing that has already been effected.
By contrast, a component produced by stacking bare chips enables a smaller construction height. The chip-to-chip connection system leads through the respective chip. The fine contact-connecting vias required for this are usually produced in a front-end-like process, which includes via etching/passivation/via filling. However, this method has crucial disadvantages for the application. On the one hand, it presupposes a particular chip design which allows the production of contact-connecting or through vias. The vias are very expensive to produce since they have to be produced in an additional, relatively long process sequence of front-end processes. Although the essential processes can be carried out at the wafer level, difficulties with regard to the yield nonetheless arise when stacking bare chips at the wafer level. Since each wafer only has a finite yield of functioning chips, when stacking the wafers the risk is exponentiated for a functioning stack, and the yield decreases exponentially with an increasing number of stacked wafers. Economic component production by this method is not possible.
The invention is based on a task of providing a method which makes it possible to produce components of relatively low construction with a high yield in a simple manner.
In order to solve this task, the invention provides a method of the type mentioned in the introduction having the following steps:
a) producing a first planar chip arrangement by arrangement of functional chips spaced apart from one another in a grid and filling at least the spacings between the chips with a filling agent for the purpose of forming an insulating holding frame that fixes the chips with chip-dedicated contact-connecting elements that serve for the electrical contact-connection to another chip of another chip arrangement and are provided in the region of the holding frame, and chip-dedicated rewiring,
b) producing and/or arranging of a further planar chip arrangement according to step a) on the first chip arrangement in such a way that the chips and the holding frames of the two chip arrangements lie one above the other and the respective contact-connecting elements of the two chip arrangements are connected to one another for the electrical chip-to-chip contact-connection to form joined-together components,
c) if appropriate single or multiple repetition of step b), and
d) separating the joined-together components each comprising a plurality of chips of the individual chip arrangements, which chips are stacked one above the other, by separation of the holding frames of the chip arrangements that are fixedly connected to one another.
The method according to the invention firstly proposes the production of a wafer comprising exclusively chips that have been tested as functional in a previous test. This so-called xe2x80x9cknown good waferxe2x80x9d is produced by positioning the chips in a grid fashion and correspondingly embedding said chips in an insulating holding frame, which is preferably produced by means of a viscous non-conductive polymer used as a filling agent. In this case, it is conceivable to integrate into this wafer either identical chips or else different chips which differ in their properties and/or dimensions. This wafer or this first planar chip arrangement is thus produced by a fan-out wafer-level packaging. This holding frame for the fan-out wafer-level packaging is now not only utilized for fan-out, rather it also serves to form the through-platings from the chip front side to the chip rear side i.e. the through-plating is displaced to the holding frame region. Afterward, a further chip arrangement is then produced in this way, that is to say stacked on, the chips and the holding frames being positioned congruently above one another, if the multichip stack is constructed from identical or identically sized chips. However, it is also possible to arrange different or differently sized chips in the individual planes, in which case the congruent stacking one above the other is not always possible on account of the differences in size. The abovementioned step is repeated as many times as separate chip layers are to be provided. Once all the chip layers have been stacked one above the other, the individual components are singulated by separation of the stack in the region of the holding frame.
The method according to the invention has appreciable advantages over the known methods. First, it is a complete wafer-level process, since the work is effected at the wafer level and the singulation is carried out only after the components have been produced in their entirety by formation of the stack. Since exclusively functional chips are used, the yield is very high. All standard chips can be used, and it is possible to integrate identical or different chips in each plane. Furthermore, it is a very cost-effective process, since the contact vias for the contact-connections do not have to be led through the conductive silicon crystal with expensive technology, but rather through the holding frame, which can be carried out using significantly simpler thin-film and/or thick-film processes. Furthermore, a process sequence which can be carried out at very low process temperatures of less than 150xc2x0 C. is. involved, which does not result in additional loading on the chips. Moreover, the stacking of the chips or wafers, which are de facto bare, permits the production of components with an extremely small structural height, and results in a very low risk with regard to handling and breakage during production.
The method according to the invention makes it possible to construct a multichip arrangement without the mounting of an additional object, for example an interposer. Rather, in this case the chip arrangements are placed or constructed directly on top of one another. The wiring of the chips is effected directly at the wafer level, which is to say directly in the plane of the wafer, and the wiring strip or conductive paths can be processed using wafer level technology, which includes thin film/thick film. This is made possible by the holding frame which in each case surrounds a chip and serves as a contact-connecting region, for example, the electrical chip-to-chip contact-connection and also the connection to the module board is effected in the region of the holding frame. In addition to a minimum of required contact transitions, both mechanical and above all electrical, a multichip component produced in this way is also distinguished by its low structural height and the small lateral dimensions.
In a development of the concept of the invention, it may be provided that at least the first chip arrangement is produced using a carrier to which the chips are fixed by means of an adhesive. In this case, a self-adhesive film or a self-adhesive tape may be used as the carrier; and, as an alternative, the use of a silicon carrier that is preferably passivated at its surface is also conceivable.
A first invention alternative is distinguished by the fact that the individual chip arrangements are produced separately and subsequently connected to one another. In other words, each individual chip arrangement is produced in the form of a separate known good wafer with the chip grid and the holding frame, these individual chip arrangements only being stacked one above the other and connected to one another after their production. In this case, a separate chip arrangement may be produced for example by the following steps:
application of the contact-connecting elements to the carrier at predetermined positions,
fixing of the chips on the carrier,
production of the insulating holding frame,
removal of the carrier,
production of the wiring strips or conductive paths,
provision of connecting adhesive points,
two chip arrangements subsequently being connected to one another by means of the connecting adhesive points.
The carrier thus initially serves as a stabilization element to which the contact-connecting elements are applied and then the chip is positioned and the holding frame is produced. Afterward, the carrier can be removed, since the known good wafer that is then already partly finished is sufficiently stable. Finally, the rewiring is produced and the connecting adhesive points made principally of conductive adhesive are provided, and after which two chip arrangements are connected to one another. In this case, the thickness of the holding frame is expediently dimensioned so that the contact-connecting elements protrude from the holding frame. The filling agent for the purpose of forming the holding frame should expediently also at least partially cover the chips at their free side with formation of a protective layer, for example, the chips are expediently completely cast into the filling agent at their free side facing away from the carrier. The chips themselves are fixed on the carrier, that is to say the adhesive tape, for example, with their contact-connecting side, to which the wiring strips or rewiring is to be applied, and the wiring strip is applied on this side after the removal of the carrier.
A conductive adhesive is expediently used as the connecting adhesive with which the connecting adhesive points are formed. The conductive adhesive is applied to the contact-connecting elements that are uncovered at the side freed of the carrier and extends on the freed side in a planar manner with the holding frame and the contact-connecting side of the chip. Finally, after the end of the stacking operation, a protective coating is applied to the upper chip arrangement.
As described, this method is distinguished by the fact that the individual chip arrangements are produced separately in the form of individual wafers and then these wafers are connected and contact-connected to one another. By contrast, an alternative configuration of the invention provides for a further chip arrangement to be constructed on a chip arrangement that is already present. Each new chip layer/wafer layer is thus mounted on an already existing, solid, thick, stable chip arrangement, which is advantageous particularly for the handling of the stack that is becoming thicker and thicker.
According to the invention, an additional chip arrangement which is constructed on one that is already present can be produced by the following steps:
producing additional contact-connecting elements of the additional chip arrangement on the contact-connecting elements of the lower chip arrangement that are uncovered on the top side,
applying the chips of the additional chip arrangement above and preferably congruently with the chips of the lower chip arrangement,
producing the insulating holding frame in such a way that the contact-connecting elements still protrude from the chip and the filling agent covers the chips on the top side except for the chip-side contact pads as insulation layer,
producing the conductive paths or strips, the steps being repeated as many times as chip arrangements are to be stacked one above the other.
As a result of the production of the respective additional contact-connecting elements, the through-platings are realized from top to bottom. Afterward, the chips are positioned in the predetermined grid and the holding frame is produced. In this case, the filling agent is introduced in such a way that it insulates the chips on the top side except for the chip-side contact pads, which is necessary for the subsequent production of the rewiring.
In this case, the first chip arrangement, that is to say the bottommost arrangement, onto which an additional or second chip arrangement is constructed, can be produced by the following steps:
producing the contact-connecting elements of the first chip arrangement on the carrier, in particular a silicon carrier,
applying the chips of the first chip arrangement,
producing the insulating holding frame in such a way that the contact-connecting elements still protrude from the holding frame and the filling agent covers the chips on the top side except for the chip-dedicated contact pads as insulation layer,
producing the wiring or conductive paths.
It is expedient if, after the production of the holding frame including the frame section that partially covers the chips, a cleaning step that uniformly removes the filling material is carried out, a planar area thereby being produced, which is advantageous for the subsequent production of the rewiring or conductive paths. Furthermore, the total structural height becomes somewhat thinner.
As an alternative to the production of the first and each additional chip arrangement of the type described above, in the case of a construction of a chip arrangement on one that is already present, a second method variant provides for the first chip arrangement and also each additional chip arrangement to be produced by the following steps:
a) producing rewiring or conductive tracks with contact-connecting points on a carrier, in particular a preferably passivated silicon carrier,
b) fixing the chips that are already provided with a rewiring or conductive strip with their side that has the rewiring or strip pointing toward the carrier, so that the rewiring of the chips is connected to the rewiring tracks of the carrier,
c) producing the holding frame in such a way that the chips are also embedded in the filling agent at their free side, contact vias for through-plating to the underlying contact-connecting points being formed in the holding frame,
d) producing additional rewiring or conductive tracks with contact-connecting points and elements which fill the contact vias, after which steps a) to d) are repeated in order to form one or a plurality of additional chip arrangements.
Thus, in this configuration of the invention, chips are applied to the carrier or an already existing chip arrangement, which are already provided with a rewiring. Rewiring or conductive tracks, which, on the one hand, are contact-connected by a chip to be emplaced and which,-on the other hand, run into the region of the holding frame, are produced only on the carrier or a lower chip arrangement.
After the fixing of the chips, chip material may advantageously be removed for the purpose of reducing the thickness. For example, the thickness of a chip and thus the total structural height of the resulting component are actively reduced here. The chip material may be removed by wet or dry etching or by mechanical treatment.
The chips themselves are fixed by means of a non-conductive adhesive, since the actual contact-connection is effected by means of the rewiring tracks and the contact-connecting points and elements by means of the contact vias. After the production of the last chip arrangement, contact elements for contact-connecting the components that are subsequently to be singulated or separated from a carrier are produced at the top side of said chip arrangement. This applies to both method embodiments in which a chip arrangement is constructed on an already existing chip arrangement.
While the previous embodiments of the method according to the invention provide contact-connecting elements which penetrate through the holding frame for the purpose of contact-connecting the rewiring tracks of two chip planes, it is also possible, however, in principle for the rewiring tracks to be directly contact-connected to one another. A first embodiment constituting a quasi-direct contact-connection is the above-described method variant in which contact vias are formed in the holding frame and are then filled directly during the production of the rewiring tracks. For example, the rewiring tracks and their contacts in the contact vias to the underlying rewiring plane are produced jointly.
By contrast, an embodiment which enables a direct rewiring contact of two planes provides the following steps:
a) arranging the chips on a carrier,
b) producing the holding frame in such a way that the chips are temporarily embedded in the filling agent and at their free sides except for a region that leaves the contact pads free,
c) producing rewiring tracks which extend right into the region of the holding frame sections situated between the chips and the ends of the rewiring tracks that are positioned in this way, forming the contact elements to the chip arrangement that is subsequently to be constructed or arranged,
d) applying a non-conductive adhesive for fixing the chips of the second chip arrangement and for insulating the underlying rewiring tracks in such a way that the contact elements of the first chip arrangement are uncovered, and applying the chips of the second chip arrangement,
e) applying a non-conductive additional filling agent for the purpose of forming a holding frame in such a way that it covers the chips laterally and on the top side except for the region of the contact-connecting pads with the contact elements of the first chip arrangement still remaining free,
f) producing the rewiring or conductive tracks of the second chip arrangement, which are contact-connected at the ends to the contact elements of the first chip arrangement, and
g) if appropriate, single or multiple repetition of steps d) to f).
Thus, in this configuration of the invention, the ends of the rewiring tracks themselves serve as contact elements to the respectively adjacent rewiring plane. In this case, the individual holding frames of the chips of a second chip arrangement are dimensioned in such a way that although they largely embed the chip, they do not cover the ends of the rewiring tracks of the underlying chip plane. The rewiring tracks of the second chip arrangement then run on the holding frame laterally into the underlying plane, where they are directly connected to the rewiring tracks which end there.
The contact-connecting elements and also the rewiring tracks and the contact-connecting points thereof are expediently produced from a conductive polymer. They are preferably printed on.
As described, a non-conductive polymer is expediently used as the filling agent, which polymer is printed on, sprayed on or spun on. Generally, after the production of the holding frame, in particular if the latter has a section covering a chip, a step for reducing the thickness of the filling agent whilst at the same time leveling the area can be carried out.
In addition to the method, the invention furthermore relates to an electronic component with a plurality of stacked chips which is produced according to one of the described method variants.
Furthermore, the invention quite generally relates to an electronic component with a plurality of stacked chips, each chip having dedicated rewiring or conductive tracks. The component according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that each chip is accommodated in a holding frame which surrounds it at least laterally. The rewiring tracks of chips lie one above the other, which rewiring tracks run right into the region of the holding frame, and are contact-connected to one another in the region of the holding frame.
In the case of the component according to the invention, the electrical chip-to-chip contact-connection or ultimately also the contact-connection to the module board onto which a finished processed chip is placed is advantageously effected in the region of the holding frame to which the rewiring or conductive tracks are led from the central contact pads of a chip. The holding frame provided according to the invention thus affords the required lateral region in order to enable a contact-connection that is drawn outward. Consequently, in the case of the component according to the invention, there is no need whatsoever for objects placed between two chips, such as, for example, interposers or the like, rather the chips can be stacked virtually directly one above the other. The rewiring or conductive strip between two chips is thus effected directly, the rewiring of an individual chip running from the central contact pads to the holding frame virtually in the chip plane. What is achieved in this way is an element with a minimum of, in particular, electrical contact transitions on account of avoiding the interposition of additional interposers or the like.
In this case, the rewiring or conductive tracks may be connected to one another by means of contact elements. These contact elements, as through-plating elements, supply the contact through a holding frame from the rewiring track of a first chip to the rewiring track of a second chip. In this case, the contact elements of a first chip and the rewiring track of a second chip may be connected to one another directly or by means of a conductive adhesive.
As an alternative to this, it is also possible for the rewiring tracks to be directly connected to one another, that is to say without a contact element effecting through-plating through the holding frame. This can be done in such a way that the rewiring tracks of a chip are led laterally to the plane of the overlying or underlying chip and are contact-connected there on the rewiring tracks of this chip plane. It is also possible for the rewiring tracks to be connected to one another by means of a conductive adhesive.
Overall, the component construction according to the invention affords the possibility of working without interposers or the like that are to be positioned between the individual chip planes. Furthermore, a component with a very small construction height can be produced on account of the chips being stacked directly one above the other. This also applies with regard to the lateral extents, since likewise relatively little space is required for the respective holding frame and the contacts provided there.
The contact elements and the rewiring or conductive tracks themselves are expediently made of a conductive polymer and can be produced using known technologies. It is furthermore expedient if the holding frame at least partially covers a chip both laterally and at one of its flat sides. A protective coating which is provided on the topmost chip and which, if appropriate, also laterally covers the lower chips is also expedient.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the exemplary embodiments described below.